


Don't Let Me Go

by InfernalPume



Category: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 10:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14471157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfernalPume/pseuds/InfernalPume
Summary: When a mysterious event mildly inconveniences Princess Trixie, she'll find theres a lot more to the catacombs of the Underworld than alternate routs to the pantry.





	1. Chapter 1

 

People always assumed that just because she couldn’t hear, Trixie didn’t know what was going on. Never mind that most of the demon servants at Lucitor castle had such ridiculous oversized maws that she’d have to be _blind_ as well as deaf to not understand what they were saying, but everyone seemed to think that hearing was the same as understanding.

 

Even though she couldn’t hear the Queen groan with exhaustion in the mornings Trixie knew her mother was overworked. Just because she couldn’t hear her older sister’s music didn’t mean she couldn’t feel the walls shaking. And if one day a gloom resided over the castle, Trixie could usually collect enough clues to understand what was happening.

 

Aunt Star didn’t visit nearly so often as he had lately, and she certainly didn’t drop by for a chat in full Queenly regalia. Stel was even moodier than usual, Trixie would sometimes see her skulking outside the doors of mother’s private conference chambers, irritated she was not included in the discussion. Trixie had even noticed _pixies_ in the castle, all sweet and sparkling despite the horrific stories mother had shared of their cannibalistic and violent society.

 

Something very bad was happening, bad enough that no one had the patience to shoot Trixie a few hand signals to shed light on the situation.

 

But that was the lot in life for the pathetic third princess of the Lucitor House, Trixie occupied herself with her lessons and secret nightly visits to the pantry. It wasn’t until a state of emergency was declared that the situation had any effect on Trixie at all.  

 

‘I do not understand why I need a guard’ Trixie signed before small platoon stand at alert for her approval, ‘Why not just tell the cats with human faces that they’re not allowed to stay in the castle if you are so afraid of them’

 

King Tom’s eyes widened and a slight blush colored his features.

 

‘We are not afraid of them Gumdrop’ he said, ‘We just don’t want them wandering around the castle at night.’

 

From his expression Trixie couldn’t say she believed him, but decided it was in her best interest to indulge him. Father was always so paranoid for their safety, as if he believed that they’d fall to pieces of that third eye of his lost sight of them for even a second. This wasn’t for her, it was for his sake, so he could sleep better at night. And with everything that has been going on lately…

 

Trixie sighed and looked to the nervous young soldiers. Curiously, Trixie signed her personal greeting, a variation of ‘hello’ that ended with a flourish of her wrist for ‘candy’. None of the guards responded, noticeably not out of stoicism but confusion.

 

‘They do not even understand me.’

 

Father shrugged, ‘You have your tablet,’ he signed to her, ‘And they have been instructed to keep an eye out for you when you wave.’

 

‘So, I have a bunch of gross older guys watching me all the time,’ Trixie signed, ‘That is much better father.’

 

Tom knelt before her, a rare show of fatherly affection in a public setting, and made sure she watched his lips as well as his hands.

 

‘This is not ideal, but tensions are currently high between the Kingdoms. I want to ensure that there are no misunderstandings between you and some of our guests.’

 

Trixie snorted. Misunderstandings? Not much to misunderstand about putting your kids behind an armed guard while they’re staying in your castle. Might as well install pixtopian crystals so no one can leave while you’re at it!

 

The King pretended he didn’t hear that and rose to address the guards. Trixie watched as they tried very hard not to look at her with boredom, guarding the poor disabled princess was probably no one’s first choice. Trixie tried to adopt Stel’s trademarked dismissive aggression, but it was difficult to manage in a cupcake dress.

 

 With all the official talk exhausted, the majority guards bowed and left Trixie's chambers. Four stayed behind, two for the inner arch of her door, two for the outside. Father made a move to leave with the rest, but was caught by the sleeve. 

 

'You promised,' Trixie signed when she had his attention, then tried to drag him to her easel. 

 

Father looked ready to protest, before sighing and allowing himself to be caught. When satisfied that he was following her, Trixie let go of him to drag her horse adjacent to her easel, and set up a drawing board loaded with paper against it. Fishing her apron from its peg by her closet, Trixie skipped to her easel and sat across from her father on the horse. Holding the willow charcoal steady, Trixie began to trace the points of Father's horns. 

 

Though the tutors had made it clear to map out the face methodically before details, Trixie always liked drawing the top of Father's head first. At just nine years old Trixie was no savant, but took immense pleasure from the many strokes it took to draw his hair and third eye. By the time she reached his lower eyes she could see she had left too much space for his body, and scowling, didn't want to draw his royal jacket. She resorted for elongating his nose and chin, looking a bit like a horse by the time she was done. 

 

But she wouldn't know it by the warm pat on the back when she showed her work to Father, Trixie flushed with pride as he described in detail all the things she had done well. Snuggling into his arm, Trixie looked at his portrait of her, and wondered if there would ever be a day she was as good as he was. It was nothing when judged against the royal portraits in the hall, but in accordance to their old routine she snatched up the portrait and shoved it into her crafts closet. Tom stood, rolling up his portrait and tucking it under an arm. 

 

'I need to go back to work, Gumdrop.' He signed, 'Please, try to ignore them. They'll be out of your mind before you know it.'

 

Trixie scowled, reminded of the two glum guards watching them, and nodded. 

 

'Yes father.' 

 

With that Trixie contented herself to watch him go, crossing her arms as she fell onto the small plush sofa just outside her bedroom. Once the door closed behind him, Trixie had to fight not to meet eyes with her guards, blushing and looking instead to her large window. 

 

As the third princess, Trixie didn't have the best room. That honour went to Estella, who slept the lowest most luxurious dungeon of the castle. It was the suite Father had in his childhood, and his mother, and her father, all the way back for generations. But it wasn't as if Trixie minded, like Milo and Nico, Trixie didn't have the same aversion to daylight as her older more  _demonic_ siblings. She had no problem staying on the upper floor, in fact, she enjoyed the view. Her room was a series of sitting rooms converted into a suite for royal use, strategically placed above the kitchen so she could sometimes wake up to the smell of pancakes in the morning. It also had an old dish elevator the architects must have overlooked in the conversion, the secret to Trixie's pantry heists' success. The elevator was right by Trixie's fireplace, in plain view of her new guards if she tried to open it.

 

Crossing her arms, Trixie escaped to her bedroom where the guards weren't allowed to follow her. Launching onto her bed, she pulled out her mirrorphone to the family group chat. 

 

 ** **trixiestix:**** so does anyone else totally hate this guard thing or is it just me?

 

 **stellarlord666:** your tellin me, these losers flinch like babies whenever i put on max volume.

 **stellarlord666:** where does dad scrape up these guys?

 

 **thememeking:** I dont mind them, they make for great fireworks targets!

 

 **jaceypennies:** oh my god nico, please tell me you're not trying to set your guard on fire

 

 **theatregeek101:** dont be mean to them!

 **theatregeek101:** they're just doing their jobs!

 **theatregeek101:** they actually make a good audience for practice....

 

Trixie smiled at her phone. Good too know her siblings weren't acting out of the ordinary. 

 

 ** **trixiestix:**** Is anyone else's guards INSIDEtheir room too or is that just me?

 

 **stellarlord666:** what??? thats totally gross!! what is dad thinking?

 

 **thememeking:** mine are on the inside too...

 

 **jaceypennies:** really? not for me, just two on the outside.

 **jaceypennies:** In fact, I think the one on the left is a guy who usually guards my door...

 

 **theatregeek101:** Me neither.

 **theatregeek101:** I think its just so you dont sneak out of your rooms to scare the guests

 

 **thememeking:** WHAT!!!

 **thememeking:** thats DISCRIMINATION!!!!

 **thememeking:** Im telling MOM

 

 **theatregeek101:** It was probably mom's idea nico.

 

 ** **trixiestix:**** wait

 ** **trixiestix:**** i get why nico is under surveillance

 

 **thememeking:** HEY!!!!

 

 ** **trixiestix:****  but what the heck did I do?

 

Trixie frowned as she saw her siblings type, but none of them actually responded. Impatient, Trixie asked again. 

 

 ** **trixiestix:****  I didnt do anything!

 

 ** **stellarlord666:**** welllll....

 

 **jaceypennies:** cmon stel dont

 

 ** **trixiestix:**** what????

 

 **theatregeek101:** its just

 **theatregeek101:** you know

 **theatregeek101:** coz of the pantry, trix

 

Trixie blushed, typing quickly in an attempt to save face. 

 

 ** **trixiestix:**** what about the pantry???

 ** **trixiestix:**** I havent done anything in the panrty!!!

 ** **trixiestix:**** why does mom think i did something in the pantry???

 

 ** **stellarlord666:**** you're not exactly subtle, trix

 

 **thememeking:** sometimes you knock over a whole stack of pans and it wakes the whole castle up!

 

 **theatregeek101:** nico!

 

 ** **stellarlord666:**** i mean, im pretty sure she doesnt know HOW you do it

 ** **stellarlord666:**** like, not even i can figure it out?

 ** **stellarlord666:**** I dont know how you get past the gargoyles on the stairwell...

 ** **stellarlord666:**** the guards are probably there just to catch you sneaking out!

 

With a groan Trixie shut her phone and rolled onto her belly. How utterly  _mortifying_. How long had everyone known? Trixie banged her forehead with her wrists, of  _course_ something stupid like that had tripped her up, and now she was on permanent room arrest! Using her feet to peel off the layers of her petticoats and skirts, Trixie kicked off the remains of her day clothes and rolled under her covers in just her shift. 

 

No more midnight cake, no more ice cream in bed, no more hot chocolate when she couldn't sleep. Whatever was going on, things had just gotten  _personal._  

 

* * *

 

 

_Deep within her egg of cosmic ichor, a firstborn slept._

_Tucked in a ball, eyes gently closed, the edges of her dimension broadened with every lazy mumble of her rest. Her world sighed against the edges of her potential like a gentle seaside, a soothing melody to keep her company as she dozed. The well that would someday connect her to the magic dimension was a small trickle, too weak to carry passengers, but just enough to keep her healthy and strong._

_It had been an uncharitable eternity since her embryo had first come to form, and it would be many years still until the ground beneath her bed would solidify, furthermore until her gravity was significant enough to keep the hardened chunks together. Her avatar was incomplete as well, a half-sewn puppet with gossamer seams, still too small and weak to hold something so complex as a firstborn within its flesh. So she built atoms in her dreams, sighed primordial gasses, and mumbled words of creation in her sleep._

_Umaz’har was not yet ready to hatch._


	2. Chapter 2

Trixie couldn’t help but be caught wilting the next day.

 

Without a handful of sweets for motivation the hours ticked by agonizingly slow, her old grizzled tutor becoming increasingly worried with her lack of focus. It wasn’t until she had missed his hand signals five times in a row that he dismissed her, assuming the stress of the alert had taken its toll on her health. Rolled up in night clothes and stuffed into bed, Trixie had to keep from rolling her eyes as servants mouthed about the poor disabled princess and her paper-thin nerves.

 

Nevermind that Trixie had been the only one of her friends to navigate Nico’s Halloween maze without fainting, or that she and Stel were the reigning champs of the soulstace beach, apparently being deaf was the same as being timid and weak in the will, and the mere presence of outsiders in her castle was enough to send Trixie into a fever.

 

When Mother appeared in Trixie’s bedroom she was already bored enough to beg for lessons again, anything instead of waiting on the group chat to update between her older sibling’s classes.

 

‘I never thought I’d see the day you’d want more lessons,’ Mother signed, something frighteningly knowing about her sympathetic smile, ‘Your tutor insisted that you are unwell.’

 

Trixie tried to put on her most innocent face, even if Mother knew about her secret candy stash didn’t mean Trixie had to come out and admit it.  

 

‘I am bored Mommy,’ she signed, purposely signing ‘mother’ in the sloppy fashion she had as a toddler, ‘Can we have a tea party?’

 

Mother smiled and shook her head, coming over to sit at the edge of Trixie’s bed.

 

‘I don’t think sugar will be good for you while you’re unwell,’ she said, ‘But I can call for some sandwiches instead.’

 

Trixie crossed her arms and fell heavily back onto her pillows.

 

Mother only laughed at her, her warm fingers pushing stray hairs behind Trixie's ear. 

 

'Don't look so glum,' Mother signed, 'This is for all of our own good. Its dangerous to have people creeping around the castle at night.'

 

Whether she was referring to the guests or Trixie's own exploits was not entirely certain. 

 

'It's creepy.' Trixie signed, 'I feel like I have to barricade myself in here to avoid them.'

 

Mother signed and sat back, taking all of Trixie's small pathetic frame in. When she signed again, Mother had become the Queen. 

 

'Its difficult to keep a handle of you kids,' she signed, her lips moving alongside the words, 'I'm told by the other courtiers that I coddle you too much, but there are so many of you and you're all so different that I need to keep a firm grip or have no grip at all. Is it fair on Nico if I allow you to sneak around at night? Or perhaps you think I should give them free reign of the castle too?'

 

Trixie didn't even need to respond, the horror on her face was enough. 

 

'The rules apply to  _everyone_ Trixie,' Mother signed, 'Even your father and I.'

 

Her hands paused as they seemed to be in the middle of signing Aunt Star's name, but Mother seemed to think better of it. 

 

'I know you aren't sick,' Mother signed instead, 'Frankly, I've blamed myself for being too lenient about your sugar intake. You need to learn how to balance yourself, Trixie.'

 

Whatever else Mother had to say, Trixie did not want to see. She turned away into her pillows and rubbed her arms. Even though Mother's keen eye could be annoying, there was something satisfying about the fact she was taken seriously enough to be punished. It always pained Trixie to play on the weakness everyone expected of her, part of her wished she could be caught more often. 

 

'I'm tired.' Trixie signed, turning back to Mother with a glum expression, 'I want to go to sleep.'

 

Marco's brows knit together. 

 

'You went to bed early yesterday as well. If you keep on like this it will disrupt your-' 

 

Mother's hands slowed when she met Trixie's eyes, before sighing and rising from where she sat on the bed. 

 

'I'll tell the servants not to disturb you,' She signed, 'But if you insist that you're still unwell tomorrow, I will send in the physician.' 

 

Trixie looked innocently up at her, venturing a delicate cough. Mother rolled her eyes and turned before Trixie could catch her smile.

 

* * *

 

 

Trixie woke to her silent alarm just an hour after midnight. Groggily she slid the vibrating disc out of her pillow to shut it off, but within moments she had shaken off the remnants of sleep. She took extra caution opening her bedroom door, keeping a fierce eye out for the two guards stationed within her room. They stood at alert, not even slacking so late in the night, their eyes trained on her large window for shadows of intruders. Regardless of whatever secret agenda Mother had in keeping a second pair of guards indoors, they hadn't been told of it.

 

Trixie skirted the shadows, glad for the cold stone floor muffling her step. The elevator wasn't exactly in clear sight of her guard, but activating it's mechanism would definitely draw their attention. Even when she had first planned this Trixie knew that would be a problem. The purpose of this exercise was more to find alternative methods. So Trixie waited, safe in the shadow of her easel, and studied the room. After thirty minutes or so Trixie learned that they switched out at 1:30, a rotation that would afford her enough time to race across the room to hide in the fireplace near the elevator.

 

Heart thudding in her chest, Trixie hiked her skirts up to keep from being dirtied by the soot, and wondered how much longer until another routine distraction. Trixie thought of Nico and their fireworks, cursing herself for leaving her phone in her room. No doubt they were also up experimenting with their captors as she was, and with the promise of a fistful of candy Trixie might have been able to convince them to prematurely set off something loud in their suite just down the hall. 

 

As it was all Trixie had was her shaky understanding of a watch schedule and the sweat of her toes mixing the soot into a disgusting slush. Trixie eyed the plush carpet just outside the mouth of her fireplace, wanting more then anything to just stretch out and wipe her feet. But that would be something the poor pathetic third princess would do, and Trixie had decided she had enough playing into the stereotype for today. Instead, Trixie backed up into the fireplace to take a good look around. 

 

Though it could be presumed there was demon blood somewhere in her mix of ancestry, it wasn't enough for her to be as obsessed with fire as her other siblings. The normal heat of the underworld was just enough to keep Trixie comfortable, very rarely did she ever see reason to keep her fireplace lit. Still, it had been lit once before, which meant it probably lead to  _somewhere_ right? The old stone chutes were made to keep bonfires ablaze, surely the ventilation for all that smoke would be big enough for one tiny princess to slide through? 

 

The kitchens were right beneath her, this chimney probably lead to one of the cook fires. Really, it was just a dirtier version of her elevator! There was the issue of getting  _back_ of course, but a childhood of exploring the dungeons with her sisters had given Trixie an expert eye for finding footholds in the dark. It was infuriatingly slow at first, feeling for the edge of the ash trap and lifting it so she could slither beneath. The trap was made of a hard metal, Trixie would able to feel any vibrations if she made too much noise. By the time she slid it over her head she was satisfied the guards wouldn't be checking for her. 

 

In the dark Trixie clung to the tiny divots in the wall, calculating how far down she'd need to climb based on how long it took in the elevator. She also had to keep the way back in mind, but rationed that sneaking back into bed would be less conspicuous then sneaking out. Down she crawled in complete darkness, feeling her way carefully for each imperfection in the ancient stone. Perhaps it was the confined space, perhaps the darkness, but Trixie felt as though she had been climbing for  _hours._  

 

Muscles aching, Trixie stretched a foot experimentally into nothingness to feel for solid ground, wincing as she felt nothing. She wondered if maybe the kitchen was above another fireplace, that she had climbed down too far in a labyrinth of chutes and unforgiving stone. After a few more steps down Trixie felt for the floor, so desperate for release she forgot to keep her grip steady. 

 

Her fingers slipped painfully out of the cracks, banging her knuckles hard against the stone as she slid suddenly and painfully through the chute. It was tight enough that she didn't  _fall,_ but any attempt to stop her momentum hurt her delicate skin. Down she banged and bumped painfully in the dark, until  _finally_ she felt her backside slam painfully against a metal grate. 

 

Elbows scraped, hair mussed, and utterly covered in soot, Trixie sniffled in the dark and considered crying out for help. She couldn't see a thing down here, she had no idea how deeply she had fallen. Cramped and scared, Trixie felt panic welling in her chest. What had mother told her? The castle was  _dangerous?_ She was stupid to try a stunt like this! Trixie pressed her head against what felt like an iron ashtrap, the tremble of impact humming through her brain. Just like that, Trixie was trapped. There was no way she could climb back up with her shaky aching limbs, and this far down there was no guarantee anyone could hear her scream. 

 

With nothing left to do she banged her fists pathetically against the iron, she mumbled and whined cries she couldn't even hear, begging anyone to set her free!

 

Slowly the iron seemed to give, the thrumming of a mechanism sliding against her sudden weight. With a huff Trixie was dumped into a pile of dust that stung her eyes and filled her lungs, causing her to hack and sob with terror. When the panic ended, Trixie sat up to find the dust was ash, likely the culmination of all the fireplaces that one chute was connected to. Trixie stood on shaking legs, making the mistake of trying to wipe her face with her sooty hands. The result more grime painting her skin, already hardening uncomfortably like salt water. 

 

Though it was dark, the  chamber she found herself in now was nothing to the chute. She could make out a small stone wall circling the ash pile, as well as a little space for her to crawl through. Trixie did just that, finding herself in a whole chamber of ash dumps just like the one she had fallen into. By the looks of the twisted chutes above, Trixie could only assume all the chimneys in the castle lead here, and sure enough there was a drip of magma protruding from the chute Trixie could only assume was Jace's. 

 

With another cough, Trixie decided she probably wasn't going to die down here. If this was a maintenance chamber it probably lead back up to the castle, or even the dungeons if she was that low down. Eyes adjusting to the light, Trixie made immediately for the door, hoping wherever she was was nearby a linen's closet. She was absolutely filthy! 

 

Much to her surprise, the only visible exit lead to a stairway  _down,_ but with no other options Trixie didn't exactly have a choice. Feeling her way along the wall, Trixie's mucky feet slapped against the cobblestone, carefully skirting around the odd stalagmite. Tired and hurt, Trixie didn't know how much longer she could continue on, and wondered if it wasn't worth trying to climb back up one of the larger chutes to one of her sibling's bedroom.  

 

Just as she was considering turning back, the dark stairwell finally opened into a larger chamber. Squinting against the sudden light of magma, Trixie stepped into a large hub of doors encircling a well at the centre. Trixie cried out in relief and ran to the well, stubbing her toe on a stalagmite in her haste. Hopping on one foot, Trixie climbed up to the edge to reach the water, but quickly withdrew her hand. 

 

Initially she had assumed it to be lava, but on closer inspection could find no flecks of red or black in the golden ichor. Experimentally, Trixie held a hand over the liquid, and feeling no heat, dipped her fingers inside. The result wasn't a burn, but it shook the very blood in Trixie's veins. With a yelp she staggered away from the well, the strange water trickling a soothing warmth down her aching fingers. Blinking, Trixie stood, looking down at her hand to find it clean and unscarred from the night's adventure. Whatever the stuff was, it made her scrapes all but disappear!

 

Cautiously Trixie made her way back to the well, dipping a finger into the strange liquid. The tickle was more gentle now, crawling up her arms and chasing away the discomfort. Before she knew what she was doing, Trixie was cupping her hands in the well and pouring its contents over every bruise on her body. Even her dress seemed to only get cleaner when she accidentally dripped some on the fabric, Trixie eventually scrubbed the stuff all over it until it was as soft and pristine as new. 

 

With a sigh of content, Trixie dipped her feet into the well, enjoying the sweet warmth as she wriggled her toes inside. The ellipse around her ankles made her skin itch to submerge further, until Trixie had slid entirely into the well with the golden water kissing her shoulders. Even as she dunked her head, she didn't feel as though she was underwater. Experimentally she breathed in, and found it felt no different then air!

 

Down Trixie slid into the well, happy and soothed by the magic, until there was no trace that the Princess had ever been there at all. 

 

* * *

 

 

_In her cradle, a firstborn stirred._

 

_Not enough to wake, she wasn't even sure if she could in this state, but in the fashion of someone that had just felt a tickle under their nose. Pleasant dreams of rolling hills and sunshine were interrupted, a pea beneath her princess bed, a stone in her shoe. Umaz'har's being wrinkled, readying for a sneeze like a radioactive storm. It never came, no amount of huffing and puffing seemed to dislodge the itch, and slowly she allowed herself to ignore it as she fell back into peaceful slumber again._

_Something was here that didn't belong, but that didn't matter much now._


End file.
